Conditions referenceSeason, water and visibilityBest Apr–Nov · Strong current · 21–31°C (coldest Oct, warmest May)
- Current
- Strong
- Water temperature
- 21–31°C (coldest Oct, warmest May)
- Visibility
- 15–40m: Commonly 25-30m and often 30-40m+ in the calm, clear window of roughly April to August.
- Experience
- Advanced in practice.
01 · Marine life
What you may see
Sightings are never guaranteed. The bars show typical likelihood by month.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | destination closed |
| February | destination closed |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Resident in huge numbers at Clown Valley, which reportedly holds the densest sea-anemone concentration of any dive site; mainly Clark's and tomato anemonefish.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | destination closed |
| February | destination closed |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Abundant and varied across the walls and muck; Cave Point and the muck sites are particularly good, and rare species such as the Djibouti giant nudibranch have been recorded.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | destination closed |
| February | destination closed |
| March | rare |
| April | rare |
| May | rare |
| June | rare |
| July | rare |
| August | rare |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | rare |
Reported riding cold upwelling in the September-November pelagic season, often at the same cool, deep sites as mola; not a reliable target.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | destination closed |
| February | destination closed |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
One of several rare cephalopods on the muck sites alongside mimic octopus and wonderpus; a prized but unpredictable find.
02 · Dive sites
Dive sites worth knowing
A starting point, not a ranking. Conditions decide what works on the day.
Babylon
Also called the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, a calm sloping muck site in Kalabahi Bay often used as the first check dive of a trip.
3–25m · Mild current
Cave Point
An easier wall dive off Buaya Island between roughly 20 and 35m, cut with small caves and well covered in corals and sponges.
5–35m · Moderate current
Clown Valley
A shallow site off Pantar Island near Apura/Biangabang village where nearly every surface is carpeted in sea anemones and their resident anemonefish.
3–20m · Mild current
See all 6 dive sites
03 · LogisticsGetting there and costsModerate. Fly to ARD. Typical trip $–$$.
Route overview
Moderate
Reachable but with some friction: 2 domestic flights.
Airport options
ARD
Mali Airport (Kalabahi, Alor)
Small domestic airport near Kalabahi; reached on short connecting flights, most commonly via Kupang (KOE) on Timor, which in turn connects from Bali (Denpasar) or Jakarta
KOE
El Tari Airport (Kupang, Timor)
Main regional hub and the usual staging point for Alor; connect from Bali (Denpasar) or Jakarta, then a short onward flight to Alor (ARD)
Typical trip cost
$–$$
under $2,000 to $2,000–4,000
Per person, excluding international flights.
- Alor liveaboards typically run roughly $280-400 per person per day, so a 7-night trip lands around $2,000-2,800 excluding flights; longer Alor-Maumere or Alor-Banda crossings on premium boats push higher.
- A handful of small land-based resorts near Kalabahi (e.
- g.
- Alor Tanapi, Alor Divers) are the cheaper option and can bring a week under $2,000 before flights.
- Domestic airfare to reach Alor via Kupang is extra and not trivial given the multiple legs.